Four`s A Charm

Burns Gets Help In Sox Shutout

The White Sox overcame Britt Burns` bad hip to end a 3-4 trip with a 4-0 victory over Cleveland Wednesday night.

The Sox`s second victory in a row was particularly encouraging because they improved in a few problem areas.

-- Ron Kittle hit his second home run in two days and appears to be finding a groove.

-- Gene Nelson retired nine consecutive Indians after he relieved Burns to open the sixth inning, and momentarily put to rest the concern of how good the Sox`s middle relief is. All three Indians` hits were off Burns, whose 4-2 record matches his victory total of 1984 when he was 4-12.

-- Second baseman Julio Cruz didn`t let an early mistake get him down and made two super defensive plays. He also walked and scored an insurance run.

-- And, last but not least, two seldom-recognized reserves, Jerry Hairston and infielder Tim Hulett, played important roles and were kings for a day. Hairston homered and drove in a run with a single, and Hulett was 2 for 3 with a run-scoring double and a key defensive play.

Burns was forced to the sideline after he went five innings despite problems with technique. With the chill keeping him from breaking a sweat, he had trouble loosening up the hip in which a pin was inserted when he was a youngster because he grew too fast.

``I couldn`t get a good rhythm because of the way the hip felt from the strong wind and cold,`` said Burns, who tightened up with temperatures in the 40s and a lake breeze sailing through him.

``His foot was landing wrong because of the hip, and yet, it goes to show you how much stuff Britt has that he did as well as he did despite it,`` said manager Tony LaRussa.

Nelson was hot and picked up the baton with ease to help finish the race. He struck out three of the nine Indians he faced while turning in the finest effort he has had since boosting his confidence with four no-hit innings against the Cubs just before this trip began.

LaRussa, who manages to the beat of a different drummer, played musical chairs in the ninth by going to left-hander Juan Agosto to get the first two batters and then using stopper Bob James for the final out. His intent on the moves was to get them used to their intended roles.

The Sox started an irregular lineup. Five of the nine starters normally aren`t at those spots on a daily basis.

But Burns didn`t mind. Solo homers in the second inning by left-fielder Kittle and designated hitter Hairston provided him with more runs than the team generated for him during a 3-1 loss to Baltimore his last time on the mound.

Cleveland left-hander Neal Heaton had thrown 38 innings this season without allowing a homer until those belts against him.

Kittle was making his first start in the field since he hurt his shoulder April 20 by banging it on the wall at Comiskey Park trying to make a catch.

``He`s having some good at-bats, and it will be important for him to stay hungry,`` LaRussa noted about Kittle, who powered both of his homers here to center field with impressive strength.

Hairston added his second RBI in the ninth. Carlton Fisk ended an 0-for-13 rut with his leadoff double and scored on Hairston`s single to right field against reliever Tom Waddell.

Playing at third, Hulett picked up a grounder off the bat of Joe Carter and threw to the plate to retire a sliding Pat Tabler in the second. ``It was one of the key plays of this game,`` said LaRussa.

Tabler wouldn`t have been on base at all if Cruz hadn`t bobbled the ball at second base trying to turn a double play.

Cruz had taken a throw from Hulett for a force at second against Andre Thornton, who opened the inning with a single, but he bobbled the ball when he made the transfer from glove to hand. The mistake grew in proportion when Brook Jacoby singled Tabler to third.

Julio Franco got a lesson from Cruz on how to play second in the fourth inning. Franco shifted to the position Wednesday while the newly acquired Johnnie LeMaster started at shortstop. Cruz made a dive to his right on a hot grounder by Tabler and stabbed the ball backhanded. He righted himself and threw to first to complete the excellent play.

Cruz did it again in the ninth inning, moving quickly to his left to get a grounder in the web of his glove and make the throw to first.

``He didn`t let the mistake in the second bother him, and it was a good sign,`` LaRussa said. ``Some guys are good to their left, some to their right. Julio`s good both ways.``

There were good signs wherever you looked. All the Sox need to do is stick closely to those directions to get where they want to go.